One Death Every Sixteen Minutes Due to Big Rigs

Roughly every 16 minutes someone is fatally injured in a crash with an 18-wheeler or big rig.

Those statistics are pretty dismal when you think about it. There is, however, a certain sense of realism in that number when you take a look at just how many of those huge monsters travel the highways on a daily basis. In fact, it’s almost a wonder more accidents don’t happen. Suffice it to say that a rough average of at least 5,000 deaths a year is even more shocking.

The problem with large truck crashes is that quite often they are also involved in multiple vehicle pile-ups, which increases the death toll. By state the accident statistics tend to vary, but the three states with the highest death records due to 18-wheeler crashes are California, Texas and Florida. Not exactly a record that a state would want to brag about.

The point is that the trucking industry is making money hand over fist to the predicted tune of roughly $610 billion currently; a number that is expected to double by the year 2015. What trucking company in their right minds is going to stop hauling loads and cutting corners when it comes to safety, when they stand to make money like that?

What are the main causes of big rig crashes? Mostly the usual litany of things, that ranges from being under the influence of an illegal substance to driver fatigue, and from an improperly secured load to driver inattention. There are so many things that may go wrong with a big rig that it may seem like only a matter of time before something does happen.

In addition, given the fact that many of these big rigs put on some really punishing miles each year, there are the usual mechanical failures from shredded tires to failed brakes, and from transmission problems to defective steering. In all instances where there has been a big rig crash, immediately contact a highly skilled 18-wheeler attorney who will begin to piece together the information needed to present a case in court.